Mouseheart Review & Giveaway

MOUSEHEART

by Lisa Fiedler; Illustrated by Vivienne To

Audience: Ages 8 to 12 years
Fiction * Adventure * Animal Fantasy

Margaret K. McElderry/Simon & Schuster

May 20, 2014

IndieBound * WorldCat * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

ABOUT THE BOOK
Hopper is just an ordinary pet-shop mouse—until he escapes. Soon he finds himself below the bustling streets of Brooklyn, deep within the untamed tangles of transit tunnels, and in Atlantia, a glorious utopian rat civilization. 

But all is not as it seems. Hopper misses Pinkie and Pup, the siblings he lost in the escape attempt. Atlantia is constantly threatened by roving rebels who wish to bring the city to its knees. And there are cats everywhere, cats who would normally eat a rodent in a second, but leave the rats unharmed . . . and no one can seem to answer why. 

Soon Hopper is caught in the crosshairs of an epic battle, one that spans generations and species. As the clashes rage, Hopper learns terrible, extraordinary secrets. Deadly secrets about Atlantia. Painful secrets about his friends. 

And one powerful secret about himself.

MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK:
When I first heard about Mouseheart, there was a comparison to the Redwall Series by Brian Jacques.  Surprisingly, for someone who does not typically like animal stories, I loved the Redwall Series. It was fantasy at it's finest and a great cast of animals, with epic stories and battles and journeys.  As a result, I was curious to read this book.

Whereas, Redwall is completely set in some medieval time period, Mouseheart begins in a pet shop in of all places Brooklyn, New York.  Soon though, readers follow Hopper as he escapes with his siblings and ends up in a medieval setting under Brooklyn. Atlantia of course has rats and mice and  felines.  There are those that are friends and those to be leery of, and Hopper has to decide who is friend and who is foe.

Adventure stories are also journey stories and for our very unlikley hero, Hopper, he must find the strength and courage to overcome his fears, and discover who he really is.  As a warning, Mouseheart is the first book in a series and does leave readers with some unanswered questions, and a desire to read the second book. 

The artwork in the Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) was not complete, so, it will be interesting to see the final artwork.  I know from speaking with my ARC Group (several students who gather to read ARCs and book talk to other students), though the cover art is stunning, it did scare away some of my more timid readers. It is true that there is some suspense and definitely some worrisome parts, but I have certainly read scarier books geared for the Middle Grade audience.  Consequently, it may be helpful to read bits and portions from the book, in order to draw in readers who love fantasy adventure but may be concerned that the book is too scary for them.

The bottom-line: Students who love animal fantasy and adventure stories will thoroughly enjoy Mouseheart.

Professional Reviews: Kirkus | Publisher's Weekly

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Lisa Fiedler is the author of several novels for children and young adults. She divides her time between Connecticut and the Rhode Island seashore, where she lives happily with her very patient husband, her brilliant and beloved daughter, and their two incredibly spoiled golden retrievers. 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Vivienne To has illustrated several books, including The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins and the Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective series by Octavia Spencer. As a child, she had two pet mice escape. She currently lives in Sydney, Australia, with her partner and her ginger cat. Visit her at VivienneTo.com.

Check out the official website here.

About the Giveaway:

One lucky reader has a chance of winning a special prize pack, which includes a copy of MOUSEHEART, THE SEARCH FOR WONDLA, and BELLY UP.

Prizing & samples courtesy of Simon & Schuster.  You must be 13 years old or older and have a US mailing address to enter the Giveaway.  To submit and official entry, please enter the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review - Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome

Author: Marissa Moss
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (March 1, 2013)
Source: Copy for Review/Netgalley ARC
Audience: Ages 10 to 13
Fiction * Time Travel * 16th Century Rome

Description from GoodReads:
As if traveling to a new country in search of her missing mother weren't difficult enough, Mira has to do it dressed as a boy. In a different century.

A new postcard from her time-traveling mother points Mira to the 16th century Rome. But before she can rescue her mom, she must follow the clues left around the city to find Giordano Bruno, a famous thinker and mathematician, who discovered something so shocking that important Italian officials don't want it revealed. All the while avoiding the Watchers--time-traveling police who want Mira back in her own time.

It's another whirlwind adventure for Mira, and this time she is determined to bring her mother out of the past.

My thoughts on the book:
Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome is a follow-up to Mira's Diary: Lost in Paris.  In book 1, Mira has learned that her mother can time travel and has disappeared into the past.  It turns out that Mira seems to also have the same gift.  In this adventure, Mira's mother has sent her a message that will bring her into 16th Century Rome and an encounter with some very forward thinkers.  

Mira's Diary is certainly a book for Middle Grade readers who are fascinated with history and time-travel. The story is heavily seeped with historical figures and events that actually did occur, though the premise of the book and many of the character are fictional.  Readers are introduced to a number of important individuals from late 1500's to the early 1600's as Mira is brought back and forth between present day Rome to past Rome.  With only a few messages from her mother, Mira has to put the pieces together for herself as to what her purpose is in the past.  

As I read Mira's Diary, I realized that this is one of those times that as an adult reader, I might have more difficulty with the book than the average reader within the targeted audience.  When I considered the book from the perspective of my 12 year old self, I realized that some of the technical questions I had about time-travel (not so much the issue of could you time-travel - I could accept this as part of the story - but more so the rules of time-travel and how it is explained here) as an adult would not have even come up as a child.  Once I could settle that piece in my mind, then the ability to just go with the flow of the story worked.  

The other element that I questioned in the story was related to how Mira's mother seems to be stuck in the past but Mira herself came back and forth between the past and the present at least 3 times in the book.  Again, children may question, but it wouldn't detract from the story.  I won't give anything about the ending away other than to say that Moss has left readers with an anticipation of another book/adventure to come.   

Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome is a book that I would select with specific students in mind, particularly those children who enjoy history mixed with a sense of adventure.  For these students with a fascination of past people and events, Moss provides readers with wonderful details and an amazing author note at the end with even more facts and background information.    
     
Check back in on Monday for an interview with author Marissa Moss and a chance to win a copy of Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome. 

Favorite Middle Grade Novels of 2012

Since I limited all of the titles to ones that were released in 2012, it automatically eliminated some great books I read in 2012 that were released in 2011 (or before) and it also eliminated 2013 releases that I read in Advanced Readers form.  Each of the titles below were special to me.  They made me laugh, or cry, or both.  They took me to new places, and I discovered new things.  All are books that I would hand to the right student or place in a classroom library or purchase for a school library.  Many are ones that I have book talked at a teachers' night or spent time hand-selling at my local indie bookstore.  Some may go on to win awards, and some have won awards.   Enjoy!   

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (HarperCollins) - I read this early in 2012 and read it over and over again as I shared Ivan's story with students as read alouds.  Check out my post on Katherine Applegate's visit, click here.

Goblin Secrets by William Alexander (Margaret K. McElderry) - This was one of the last Middle Grade books I read in 2012.  Beautifully written. Magical.

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead (Random House) - I love Stead's writing and Georges story left an emotional imprint on me.

The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech (HarperCollins) Beautifully written, with quirky characters, humor, mystery/adventure, and Creech makes you care what happens.

One for the Murphys by Lynn Mullaly Hunt (Penguin) - I read this story about a young girl in foster care in one sitting.  Tissues may be needed (at least I needed them).

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage (Penguin) - I listened to this one and would highly recommend the audiobook.  A story of friendship and mystery in a little town called Tupelo Landing.

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter (Feiwel & Friends)  - It is Ellen Potter and a re-telling of The Secret Garden.  Two of my favorites in one book.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy; Illustrations Todd Harris (Walden Pond Press) - What happens after the "happily ever after"? A unique twist on some of our favorite fairy tales.

 

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger (Abrams) - It's Tom Angleberger and it's the 3rd book in the Origami Yoda series - need I say more? 

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner (Scholastic) - Messner writes some of the best characters out there.  This adventure mystery is the start of a series.  Read it now so that you will be ready for book 2: Hide and Seek out April 2013.

So, what were your favorite middle grade novels in 2012?

Book Review - One For The Murphys

Author: Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin (May 10, 2012)
Source: Copy for review
Read Aloud: Grades 4th to 8th
Independent Reading Level: Grades 4th to 8th
Fiction * Foster Care * Family 

Description from GoodReads:
A moving debut novel about a foster child learning to open her heart to a family's love

Carley uses humor and street smarts to keep her emotional walls high and thick. But the day she becomes a foster child, and moves in with the Murphys, she's blindsided. This loving, bustling family shows Carley the stable family life she never thought existed, and she feels like an alien in their cookie-cutter-perfect household. Despite her resistance, the Murphys eventually show her what it feels like to belong--until her mother wants her back and Carley has to decide where and how to live. She's not really a Murphy, but the gifts they've given her have opened up a new future.

My thoughts on the book:
This is a tissue book.  Yeah, just thinking about the book, I have to pull out the tissues again. *wipes eyes, starts again to write* This is also a good book.  It came highly recommended and after reading it I understand why.  I challenge someone to start this book and not finish it in one sitting?  I couldn't put it down.  As a reader, I was so drawn into Carley's story that I just had to keep reading.   

Lynda Mullaly Hunt has created a very special book.  Readers will be pulled in by Carley, her story and by the Murphys just like Carley is drawn in.  Carley's own family life has been far from stable.  Raised by a single mother, Carley has been taught street-wise survival skills but after a severe beating by her step-father, Carley is placed in foster care.  Carley has heard about foster care and she is fully prepared not to like the Murphys.  Initially, Carley is determined to use humor, sarcasm, and even some anger to keep the family at a distance.  Over time,  Carley learns that there may be more choices in life for her than she originally believed. 

Writing stories about children in tough home situations or foster care can be a dangerous road to walk for an author.  Finding the right message and the right balance between telling it like it is and writing a "happily ever after" story is not easy.  Hunt has created a touching, heart-warming story that still manages to ring true and not gloss over some of the more difficult issues and choices that children such as Carley face while in foster care.  As Carley grows and develops from her interactions with the Murphys and with some of the students at her school, the reader also sees how Carley changes their lives as well.   

Since I wanted to know if I should include One For The Murphys in my fall recommendations to students and teachers, I knew I had to read this one before the school year was too far in.  I am glad that I have read it and excited to share Carley and her story with students and teachers.  This will definitely be one book that I recommend over and over again.   
 
Check out the book trailer below:



For more information on author Lynda Mullaly Hunt: website | blog | twitter | facebook | 

Book Review - Three Times Lucky

Author: Sheila Turnage
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin (May 10, 2012)
Read Aloud: Grades 4th to 8th
Independent Reading: Grades 5th to 8th
Source: Review Copy; Personal Copy
Fiction *

Description from Penguin:
A hilarious Southern debut with the kind of characters you meet once in a lifetime.

Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

Full of wisdom, humor, and grit, this timeless yarn will melt the heart of even the sternest Yankee.

My thoughts on this book:

"Trouble cruised into Tupelo Landing at exactly seven minutes past noon on Wednesday, the third of June, flashing a gold badge and driving a Chevy Impala the color of dirt.  Almost before the dust had settled, Mr. Jesse turned up dead and life in Tupelo Landing turned upside down." - Three Times Lucky, Sheila Turnage

Thus begins the opening paragraph of Turnage's debut middle grade novel set in the fictional town of Tupelo Landing, North Carolina.  Are you hooked? I was.  

The story is told from the perspective of Miss Moses "Mo" LoBeau, rising sixth grader.  Mo is spunky and has a penchant for getting into her fair share of trouble along with her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III.  This middle grade mystery has several layers to uncover not just "who killed Mr. Jesse".   Readers soon discover that Mo has been trying to find her "upstream mother" for years.  She was rescued as an infant by the Colonel during a hurricane when he found her attached to a raft floating downstream.  Mo lives with the Colonel and Miss Lana who have been her guardians and the only parents she has known her whole life.  However, the Colonel and Miss Lana seem to have some secrets as well.  As Mo and Dale seek to discover who killed Mr. Jesse, where the Colonel has disappeared to, and more, pieces of everyone's stories are revealed.

Three Times Lucky hits all of the things that I like about a story.  Great characters that you find yourself wanting to know in real life, lots of things that make you laugh, just enough mystery and action to keep the story moving and some absolutely great one lines (and I am certain I didn't even pick the best ones).

"He's dead." he said promptly. Dale has a nose for the obvious.

"Dale can choose not to worry like he chooses not to wear socks. Miss Lana says I have more of a Jack Russell brain. I think things apart for sport.”

I shook my head. "Our drink du jour is Mountain Dew," I said. "I got a two-liter breathing in back."

For as many laughs in this book, there are also some serious issues such as Dale's father who drinks heavily and is physically abusive to his wife and son.  This does have a more hopeful resolution than I suspect is true for most cases of domestic abuse.

In looking at the comments/reviews of other individuals, I noticed that some had concerns with the portrayal of people from the south.  It might be easy to dismiss this story as just another one of those books that portray all Southerners as backwards, ignorant, and foolish. I am reminded of the TED talk The Danger of a Single Story,  Chimamanda Adichie warns "that if we hear only a single story about another person or a country, we risk a critical misunderstanding".  It is a powerful speech and one worth listening to.  Educators should take heed in that if the only books we shared with students were stories about poor, ignorant Southerners living in small towns, then we too would be "in danger of a single story".  However, there are Southerners (just like there are northerners) that live in small towns filled with eccentric, quirky characters.  Our responsibility as educators and reading leaders is to provide students with a rich variety that represents all types of people living in a specific region or during a designated time period.

Since I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Michal Freidman, I may have been struck more by the language Turnage uses to describe things.  There are tons of sayings and phrases that would keep a teacher of English Language Learners busy for weeks exploring what they all mean.  I quickly realized that if I (a Northern Yankee) tried to read this one aloud students would miss the cadence and rhythm of the story which is essential to understanding the setting and feel of the story, and to appreciating various aspects of the characters.  From this, I think I was struck by the importance of sharing a story like Mo LoBeau's with students.  

Though I admit that I truly enjoyed Three Times Lucky, I recognize that others may not have the same feelings.  I respect their choice to include or not include this in their classroom selections, but I do hope that they would give either the book or audiobook a chance before making that decision. 

For more information about Sheila Turnage: website | blog | facebook

Book Review - Liar & Spy

Author: Rebecca Stead
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books/Random House (August 7, 2012)
Independent Reading Level: Grades 4 to 8
Read Aloud: Grades 4 to 8
Source: ARC picked up at ALA
Friendship *  Family * Social Situations

Description from GoodReads:
When seventh grader Georges (the S is silent) moves into a Brooklyn apartment building, he meets Safer, a twelve-year-old coffee-drinking loner and self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: how far is too far to go for your only friend?

My thoughts on this book:
I sometimes wonder what happens to an author's writing mind-set after they have won an award for a book that they have written.  Does it inspire them to go out and write something even better? Do they freeze up and wonder how they will ever write something again?  Rebecca Stead won the 2010 Newbery Medal for When You Reach Me.  If it had been me, I would likely not want to write again for fear of never even being able to come close to that same level of literary greatness.  I am glad that Stead did not apparently have that fear (or at least not long enough to prevent her from writing another book) and that readers are able to pick up and enjoy her newest book Liar & Spy.

Set in modern day Brooklyn, Liar & Spy showcases what Stead does well, writing somewhat quirky but real characters and the ability to slowly reveal pieces of the story that builds up to a surprise ending.  Now, how do I talk about it without spoiling the book.  I don't mean by giving away the ending, but by giving away the emotional experience of discovering the final pieces of the puzzle at just the right time.

Georges (named after the French artist Georges Seurat) and his family have just moved into an apartment in Brooklyn.  Georges struggles with the typical school issues while facing changes at home.  At his father's encouragement, Georges responds to a sign about a Spy Club and is drawn into a friendship with 12 year old Safer (a self-proclaimed spy ) and his somewhat bohemian family.  Similar to a Seurat painting, Stead takes all of the little dots of the story and combines them into something larger and more significant at the end.         

When talking about this book with friends, and well, with just about anyone who will listen to me talk about it, I have repeatedly said that this is a book that left an emotional imprint on me.  What I mean by "an emotional imprint" is this story made me feel something and also made me think about it long after I finished reading it.  Really good books should leave emotional imprints.  Even if you come to the end and say "hmmm, I thought something was up with ______ ", the way the end comes together should still have an element of surprise.  Liar & Spy left me with a sense that I wanted to sit with the book for awhile and not have other stories or emotions crowd out what I felt from reading it.  

Many friends are also quick to ask how Liar & Spy compares with When You Reach Me.  I honestly have to admit that they are really two separate books.  True, there are some elements that I think are similar because both books are written by the same author.  However, the stories are distinct enough that each should be loved and appreciated on their own.  

As I prepare for the new school year, I know already that Liar & Spy will be in the list of titles that I will recommend to teachers as potential read alouds or for literature circles or book clubs.  It will be one that I book talk to students and hand-sell the next time I am hanging out at my local indie bookstore.  Simply, it is a book that I want children to read and enjoy.  

For more information about author, Rebecca Stead: website | blog | facebook | twitter            

Guys Read: The Sports Pages Giveaway

Authors: Jon Scieszka, Dan Gutman, Tim Green, Anne Ursu, Dustin Brown, Jacquelin Woodson, Chris Crutcher, James Brown, Joseph Bruchac, Gordon Korman, Chris Rylander
Illustrator: Dan Santat
Publisher: Walden Pond Press (July 10, 2012)
Pages: 272
Audience: Grades 4 to 8
Source: Copy from the Publisher
Sports * Fiction * 

Description from Publisher:
A lineman with something to prove
A vendetta against a baseball legend
The rise of a real-life NHL all-star
The luckiest grapefruit in sports history

Open up The Sports Pages, the third volume in the Guys Read Library of Great Reading, and you're in for all of this and more. From fiction to nonfiction, from baseball to mixed martial arts and everything in between, these are ten stories about the rush of victory and the crush of defeat on and off the field. Compiled by kid-lit all-star Jon Scieszka, Guys Read: The Sports Pages is a thrilling collection of brand-new short stories from some of your favorite authors and athletes.

Check out the official book trailer for Guys Read: Funny Business:

 

My thoughts on the book/series:
Jon Sciezska, former National Ambassador of Young People's Literature, founded Guys Read to "help boys become self-motivated, life-long readers".  One of the ways that Sciezska is working to make this mission a reality is by developing a series of books containing a collection of short stories that appeal specifically to boys.  Sciezska has pulled together an all-star list of Middle Grade and Young Adult authors to develop stories around a theme.  The current book is Guys Read: The Sports Pages.  Each of the 10 stories in this collection celebrate or highlight some aspect of sports.  I particularly enjoyed Dan Gutman's recollection of the 1986 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets in the story "How I Won the World Series".  Probably because I remember watching those exact games.  Though I enjoyed many of the stories in this volume, as with the other volumes, there are definitely stories that I have to remind myself that I am not the targeted audience.  Some stories will be appreciated way more by a 10 or 12 year old boy than by me, and that is a good thing.  

What I have come to love about this series is that I can easily read one of the stories to a group of students as part of book talking the book and know that I will quickly have students (boys and girls) raising their hands to be the first to read a copy of the book.  Another aspect of the Guys Read Books is that many boys I know complain about sitting long enough to complete a book.  There is a lot competing for their time.  However, with a collection of short stories, readers can chose a story that appeals to them.  It doesn't have to be the first story either.  You can read the stories in order listed or jump around.  Additionally, one story can be read easily during a silent reading time at school providing the reader with a sense of accomplishment.   

Don't forget to check out the Guys Read Library of Great Reading Website.  There are lots of great resources and book recommendations on this site.   

Guys Read: The Giveaway:
To celebrate the release of Guys Read: The Sports Pages, Walden Pond Press will send out a set of all three (3) books in the Guys Read series.  This is a great way to increase your classroom or school library with a set of books that are sure to attract readers.

1. Though comments are very much appreciated, please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.). If you do enter personal information, your comment will not be posted.
2. You must complete the entry form to official enter the giveaway.
3. The Contest runs from July 3, 2012 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on July 10th.
4. You must be 13 years or older to participate.
5. If you are selected as the winner, you will be notified by email. If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.
6. US participants only.
 

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom Blog Tour, Interview & Giveaway

Artwork copyright © 2012 by Todd Harris

Today, I am so excited to welcome debut author, Christopher Healy to the blog.  His book, The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom was just released on Tuesday.  Christopher took some time out of his schedule to answer some questions.  Don't forget to scroll through the whole post because at the end there is a special giveaway thanks to Walden Pond Press.

One of the questions I sometimes ask is "If you could write a sequel to any book, what would it be?" - In some ways you did this with A Hero's Guide. What was the most fun for you in writing this book?

Yes, in a way, Hero’s Guide is a sequel to four different stories — Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel — since it takes place after all of those tales. But it’s also a completely new story unto itself — and that was the fun part. I really enjoyed taking these classic characters that most people think they know already, and moving them in unexpected directions — giving Cinderella a powerful right hook, making Prince Charming run shrieking for his life at the sight of some dwarfs, etc. It’s probably not what most readers will anticipate from these characters, but in this story, it all makes perfect sense.

Out of the 4 *Prince Charmings* - was there one of their stories that surprised you as you were writing about them? Did anyone change in unexpected ways as you wrote the story?

Before I started writing, I worked out the personalities of all the princes, crafting them from the scant tidbits of character we were given in the original fairy tales. But I never anticipated how these guys would then develop and evolve once they started interacting with one another. Sometimes I felt like I was just sitting back and watching to see what these guys did next. I wrote one scene for instance, where Duncan (Snow White’s silly little prince) asks one of his teammates to use him as a weapon — to literally throw him at an enemy. I thought to myself, “That’s insane.” But it’s totally what Duncan would have done in that moment. It was actually Gustav (Rapunzel’s big, burly prince), who surprised me the most, though. I never intended him to be a man of much emotional depth, but as the book went on, he ended up revealing more and more of his softer side. And that’s something that I never planned.

If you think back to being a child, what was the one book that seemed to be a turning point for you?

The one that hooked you into being a reader? Or the book that you kept coming back to over and over again? I was hooked on reading from the time I first cracked open Tikki Tikki Tembo. But the literary turning point for me was probably The Hobbit, which I read when I was nine. And as a kid, the books I actually re-read multiple times were the Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. I was obsessed with that series. As books that were essentially Dungeons & Dragons game tie-ins, they were far, far better than they ever would have needed to be. The characters, pacing, and action scenes were awesome. And there was so much drama. It was like a fantasy soap opera in a lot of ways. Ooh, just talking about them is making me want to go find them again.

Did you always see yourself as a writer or storyteller? Or was there a moment in time when you decided "I want to be a writer"?

 I was telling people I was going to be a writer ever since I was seven. The first story I remember writing was a sci-fi epic (well, epic for second grade) titled “The Space Race.” It was about a sort of Cannonball Run through the solar system. I remember one of the racers getting tangled in Saturn’s rings.

What advice would you give to children who want to someday become writers?

Embrace revision. Whatever you initially put down on paper is never going to be as good as what you come up with after re-examining and reworking every paragraph. Once you write that final line of a story, it’s so tempting to sit back and say, “I’m done!” But if you do, you’re not bringing your story to its full potential. Think of your first draft as a cupcake — even if it’s a moist, delicious cupcake to begin with, isn’t it going to be so much better after you ice it?

 If you could show up in any book as a character, what book would it be and who would you be?

 I don’t know. Is there a book set in a magical land where nothing dark and sinister is going on? Where everybody is happy and there’s no evil menace threatening to destroy the world? Maybe some unwritten Lord of the Rings sequel where nothing happens except the hobbits drinking tea, having second breakfasts, and telling each other stories.

I noticed that A Hero's Guide is the first in a series. Do you have any idea how many books we can look forward to reading in the series?

There will be at least three. I’m in the fabulously fun and exciting process of revising the second book right now.

Some of us really nerdy book lovers have multiple "to-be read" bookstacks around our homes. Do you care to share what is in your bookstack or even a picture of your "TBR" pile?

My entire house is a TBR pile. I seriously don’t think I could make it through all of these books in a lifetime, especially since I keep adding new ones. But here’s the stack that is currently next in line (though it’s very likely several new titles will slip in between these as I read).

Don't Forget to stop by Walden Pond Press and check out all of the Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom Blog Tour stops.

Here is a chance to listen to The Hero's Guide prologue:




For more information about author, Christopher Healy: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Check out the book tour stops, just in case Christopher Healy is going to be in your home town in the next week. 

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom Giveaway:

One lucky teacher or librarian has the opportunity to win a complimentary 30 to 45 minute skype visit with Christopher Healy for his or her classroom or library and two copies of The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom with signed bookplates for your school/classroom library.

The Contest will run from Friday, May 4th to Friday, May 11th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

You are welcome to leave comments in the comments section but to enter the giveaway, please complete the entry form below.

As Agatha Swanbourne Once Said...The Unseen Guest Blog Tour & Guest Post from Maryrose Wood

About the Incorrigible Blog Tour: Each stop features an exclusive excerpt and guest post from Maryrose Wood, offering a special look at the wise words of her heroine’s mentor, Agatha Swanburne.

"Whatever will do in a pinch will do." - The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, 

Book 3: The Unseen Guest

More than a decade ago I was invited to spend two weeks at a prestigious writers’ conference. My two kids were very young then, and I was a newly single parent, so the logistics were daunting. Still, I thought, it was summer, and the conference was walking distance from a beach, so why not just bring the little moppets with me? I ran the idea by the conference people, who were cautious at first, but in the end they said yes.

I’d be working fulltime for the duration, so I hired a babysitter to come with us. Her salary would be more than double my honorarium for attending (oh, the glamour of the writer’s life!), but the conference was kind enough to throw in housing and meals for her and my kids as part of the package, so I counted myself lucky and got out the suitcases.

Now, if you’ve ever dragged two small children along for a two-week stay in a place not particularly oriented towards kids, you know how easy it is to go overboard with the packing. What if they want to play Uno? Uno deck packed, plus a few board games just in case. What if they need goldfish crackers and there’s no place to buy them? Two weeks’ supply of goldfish, packed. What if they get bored (will twenty picture books and a case of art supplies be enough?) or homesick (should I bring their pillows from home?) or outgrow their shoes halfway through, or it rains the whole time…. what if what if what if?

What I really needed to pack was a cure for my neurotic worrying, but I’d need a moving van to carry that much baggage. So I stopped trying. It was summer, and there was a beach. Bathing suits, a few changes of shorts and t-shirts would suffice. A couple of books, a box of crayons and some paper for rainy days. We’d have to trust the sun and the waves and the sand and the fun of being in new place to provide the bulk of the entertainment. And I remember thinking, as I zipped up our one medium sized suitcase, slung my laptop case over my shoulder, strapped the toddler in the stroller and took my kindergartner by the hand: if the house disappears while we’re gone, we’ll be okay. I have my kids, a change of clothes, and all my work on the computer. We could go anywhere now and start over, and we’d be just fine.

I think about that moment from time to time. For most of us, what we actually need to survive is only a tiny fraction of the stuff we’ve accumulated in our lives. “Whatever will do in a pinch, will do,” said Agatha Swanburne. In a pinch, we can make do with very little. And that very little is a good reminder of how much we actually need.

What stuff do you think you really need in a pinch? What could you do without?

Thanks so much to Maryrose Wood for being our guest blogger today!

Maryrose Wood is the author of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series for middle-grade readers.  You can find her on-line at http://www.maryrosewood.com/ and on Twitter: @maryrose_wood

Don't forget to check out the next stop on the Incorrigible Blog Tour:

Hooked on Swanburnisms? On March 26th, visit www.bookyurt.com for more pithy wisdom.

About the book:

Of especially naughty children it is sometimes said, "They must have been raised by wolves."

The Incorrigible children actually were.

Since returning from London, the three Incorrigible children and their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, have been exceedingly busy. When Lord Fredrick's long-absent mother arrives with the noted explorer Admiral Faucet, gruesome secrets tumble out of the Ashton family tree. And when the admiral's prized racing ostrich gets loose in the forest, it will take all the Incorrigibles' skills to find her. But once back in the wild, will the children forget about books and poetry and go back to their howling, wolfish ways?

Learn more about the series at http://booksandgames.com/incorrigible

Book Review - Dead End in Norvelt

Author: Jack Gantos
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux (BYR)
Released:  September 13, 2011
Format:  Audiobook
Source: Personal Copy
Audience: Middle Grade (10 to 14 years)
Fiction * Historical Fiction

Description from GoodReads:
Dead End in Norvelt is the winner of the 2012 Newbery Medal for the year's best contribution to children's literature and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction!

Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, Dead End in Norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named Jack Gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is "grounded for life" by his feuding parents, and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets. But plenty of excitement (and shocks) are coming Jack's way once his mom loans him out to help a fiesty old neighbor with a most unusual chore—typewriting obituaries filled with stories about the people who founded his utopian town. As one obituary leads to another, Jack is launced on a strange adventure involving molten wax, Eleanor Roosevelt, twisted promises, a homemade airplane, Girl Scout cookies, a man on a trike, a dancing plague, voices from the past, Hells Angels . . . and possibly murder. Endlessly surprising, this sly, sharp-edged narrative is the author at his very best, making readers laugh out loud at the most unexpected things in a dead-funny depiction of growing up in a slightly off-kilter place where the past is present, the present is confusing, and the future is completely up in the air.

My reflections on the book:
I will admit that based on the title and cover I would have completely passed over this book.  Then a friend shared that she liked it so I added it to my list to read.  I was still passing it over for other books and when the announcement came that it had won a Newbery.  At this point, I questioned the decision of the committee's choice.  And still I hadn't read it.  *sigh*  I know I shouldn't judge a book or a committee's judgement by the cover.  However, I still wasn't moving the book any higher in my TBR pile. 

After listening to the interview with Jack Gantos on NPR's Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me, and learning that Gantos, himself, narrates the audiobook, I decided to try a different approach.  Maybe listening to the book would be a more successful endeavor.  It didn't take more than about one chapter to realize that the audiobook was an excellent choice.  I hadn't stopped laughing as I listened to Gantos read those first chapters of his fictionalized autobiographical story.

The challenge with an audiobook is that is typically takes longer to get through the book.  I listen in the car (though I don't have a long commute) and a little bit in the morning and again at night.  However, I found that as I listened I kept wanting to listen and wanting to find out more about Jack, and the other members of the Norvelt community.  At one point, since I can read faster than the audiobook, I even tried switching over to the book, but by that point I preferred Gantos' voice to my own and just switched back to the audio.

Dead End in Norvelt is a unique book.  As I listened, I couldn't help thinking that it was a book more for adults who want or need to reminisce about a different place and time that no longer exists.  Gantos captures the special nuances and eccentricities of growing up in a small working class community.  It is 1962.  Norvelt which was founded in the 1930's is dying out - figuratively and literally.  Twelve year old Jack is sentenced to a summer of confinement in his room when he gets caught in his parents' feud.  His only reprieve from being in his room or doing chores is when an elderly neighbor with serious arthritis needs his help to write/type up the obituaries.  For Jack, this isn't as bad as it may sound.  Jack likes history and with each death of an original Norvelt community member,  he learns from Miss Volker the history of the individual along with historical facts that she weaves into the write up.  

I liked Jack.  He's a good kid with very frequent nose bleeds, an interest in history, and a penchant for finding himself in unusual situations; some that get him into trouble particularly with his mother.  His friendship with Miss Volker is especially entertaining.  Every time the phone would ring, and Jack would be called to come down to Miss Volker, I would wonder what odd scenario he would find himself in this time.  And the situations are even stranger because parents and adults today would never allow children to do most of these things.  A child driving a car, or purchasing rat poison, or traipsing around checking on dead people is close to nil.  It finally occurred to me that the reason I loved listening to this rather than reading it was that it reminded me of the times when my dad and uncles would sit around the table and talk about the things they would do as children.  

Yes, I loved this one, but I especially loved listening to it.  I also appreciated the extra section in the audiobook where Gantos tells a little bit about what in the book was factual/autobiographical.  

I am afraid though that this one is going to be hard to sell.  The audience for this book is supposedly 10 to 14 year olds.  I am fascinated when I hear a teacher mention that some of her "boy" readers are really enjoying this one.  I always want to know where they are from.  I wonder if this one wouldn't do better with boys in small towns in the Northeast.  Or better yet, I think it would have more success with Baby Boomers who lived through this time period.  

I still am not a big fan of the cover.  And I still wonder about the decision of the Newbery Committee.  However, when I say that now, I can at least back that up with having read the book.  And I, at least, can now identify how I will present this book to children in a way that they hopefully will experience it as a slice of history (even if it is fictionalized). 

Check out the book trailer for Dead End in Norvelt:   

Humming Room Blog Tour: Interview with Ellen Potter

In celebration of the release of The Humming Room written by the amazing, Ellen Potter, MacMillian is running a blog tour and giveaway.  Ellen was kind enough to stop by the blog to answer some questions.  Also, one lucky winner will receive a copy of The Humming Room - see details below.

The Secret Garden was one of my absolute favorite books as a child. When I found out that The Humming Room was similar, I was so excited to read it. Did you worry that people will overlook Roo's story because they would be looking for comparisons with The Secret Garden? 

Oh, I was full of worries when I wrote this book, but then I’m a natural-born worrier. The idea of reinventing a classic was as exciting as it was nerve-jangling. The fact that The Secret Garden was one of my favorite books of all time really amped up the pressure. Still, out of this miasma of anxiety, the character of Roo emerged so powerfully that I knew her story could stand on its own.

 When I finished reading The Humming Room, I immediately had to go look up the islands. What was your favorite part of doing the research for the book? 

All of it! Researching The Humming Room was bliss. The Thousand Islands region of New York is paradise—in the summer, at least. I wandered around islands, spied on osprey nests, and found out from a wildlife rehabilitator how to feed a baby bird (with a paintbrush). I guess my favorite piece of research was when I accompanied the island mail carrier on his rounds. We zipped through the St. Lawrence River on his little green boat, stopping to deliver the mail to the islanders. That boat went so fast I thought I might throw up. In a good way, I mean.

Your books are all set in present day. Do you ever see yourself writing a book in a different time period? If so, what one? 

I have this lingering fantasy that I’ll write a book set in England in the mid 1800’s. The thing is, though, I can’t even remember the combination to my gym locker, much less retain the tiniest details of everyday life in the Victorian Era. I suspect my brain would erupt in flames if I even tried.

With all of your books, I have come to love your characters. What is the secret to writing characters that readers will connect with? 

If I were at a party, my characters are the sort of people I would gravitate toward—for better or for worse. I write about people who fascinate me, so it’s possible that my obsession with them transfers to my readers.

I know I have mentioned this before to you, but your writing is truly lovely. What is your editing and revision process like? And have you worked with the same editor on a number of books or do you have a different editor each time? 

Like most writers, I revise A LOT. The first draft often resembles a puzzle that has been put together by someone who hasn’t had their morning coffee yet. I have to go back in many times to make sure all the pieces are snug and in the right place. I’ve been very fortunate with my editors. Jean Feiwel at Feiwel & Friends edited both The Kneebone Boy and The Humming Room, with a light, but magical, touch. She always seems to understand what I am shooting for in each scene, and with gentle nudges she aligns me with my intention.

When I interviewed you last, I commented about the wonderful cover for The Kneebone Boy. You seem to have some great cover karma. Now looking at the cover for The Humming Room - did you work with the same designer? A different one? And did you get any input on the cover? 

Cover karma! I like that. Yes, I must have done something really nice for an artist in a past life, because I am one lucky gal when it comes to my book covers. The Humming Room cover was done by the mind-blowingly gifted Jason Chan. He also did the stunning cover for The Kneebone Boy. Before Jason Chan came along, I used to worry about my covers (I told you I’m a worrier). Writers generally have very little control over what their covers will look like. But Jason is such a visionary that I would literally write a book based on one of his covers.

When I think about my favorite books as a child, I think of the ones that I took out from the school library or classroom library over and over again. It seems that everyone has at least one book that may have never made it back to the library because it was so well loved. Do you have one? 

Mine would have been A Wrinkle in Time. For the longest time, I would squeeze my eyes shut and try to “tesseract” to another plant. It never worked, incidentally.

If you could spend the day with a book character (doesn't have to be one of your characters), who would it be and what would you do?

Hands down, I’d spent the day with Roald Dahl’s The BFG, drinking frobscottle and making whizzpoppers.

Thanks Ellen for doing this interview....and I can't wait to get the book into the hands of students.

You can find out more about Ellen Potter at her website: www.ellenpotter.com

You can follow her on twitter: @ellenpotter

To find out where all the stop are on The Humming Room Blog Tour, click here.



Giveaway Rules:

1. Though comments are very much appreciated, please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.).  If you do enter personal information, you comment will not be posted.

2.  You must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.

3.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time on March 2, 2012 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on March 9, 2012.

4.  You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.

5.  If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.

6.  US and Canadian residents are welcome to enter the contest.

BREADCRUMBS Blog Tour: Author Interview & Giveaway

Kellie from Walden Pond Press has organized a wonderful blog tour to celebrate the release of Anne Ursu's new book BREADCRUMBS.   To check out all of the different guest posts, interviews, giveaways and more, click here.   Today Anne answers some questions for the readers here at Kid Lit Frenzy. 

In looking at your website, I noticed that you wrote first for adults, and have now written 4 books (including Breadcrumbs) for Middle Graders. What do you like about writing for a younger audience or what is different about writing for a younger audience in your experience? 

I think there’s a lot more freedom in kids books. Kids just don’t have the same expectations about how a book is supposed to work. They happily accept magic, and are unfazed by storytelling methods that break with tradition. It just feels like in middle grade books you have so many more stories to tell, and so many more ways you can tell them.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit several authors' writing spaces. It was fun to see how they set up their space, and what they used as visuals or inspiration on the walls. If we were to come visit your writing space, what would we find? 

I have a small desk in my bedroom that looks out on a gate covered with ivy that is Sleeping Beauty-level thick. I have a lovely antique hurricane lamp that I really need to clean. Next to the desk is a radiator on which can usually be found a manuscript I need to read, mail I need to attend to, and a cat that might be sleeping on top of, knocking over, or chewing on the manuscript/mail. Right now my desk also has a sculpture of Poseidon’s head made out of floral foam that my artist friend made for me this summer. It eyes me disdainfully. I am told it will rot slowly from the inside.

When did you have that "aha" moment that you were going to be a writer or that you really were a writer? Did you come upon it on your own or were you mentored along the way?

I wanted to be a writer from the time I was a kid. I completely lost myself in books and stories. I remember I always wanted to be a writer and something else—a teacher, a lawyer, a professor, a flight attendant (that’s when I was six). And then all the other things fell away, and I just wanted to be a writer. After college I worked at a bookstore, thinking it would give me time to write, not realizing all I would be good for at the end of a day of retail was collapsing on the couch and watching ER reruns. And then one day my parents announced they were going to support me for a year so I could write. Follow your dreams, they said. And I wrote my first book. I am a writer because of them.

Recently, my niece (age 10) shared with me a story she had written. What I noticed most about her writing was her lack of inhibitions with "writing". I realized at that moment that teachers (myself included) can stifle this often by focusing so much on the mechanics of writing. Sometimes we need to just "let them write". What advice would you give to teachers in regards to supporting or developing children as writers?

That’s a great question. I wonder if the answer is to give kids space to work where it’s all about the creativity. Maybe that’s a specific notebook they write in where mechanics just don’t count. Maybe you assign first drafts where nothing else matters but the story, and the polishing comes later—whatever you can do to free them from the idea that it needs to come out perfectly the first time. And maybe it just helps them to hear that most authors revise extensively, and the mechanics are the very last thing they worry about—the whole point is to get the story figured out first.

In writing Breadcrumbs, did you have a story in mind and then looked for a way of integrating it into a fairytale? Or did it start the other way around? 

I was actually directly inspired by the fairy tale of “The Snow Queen.” I was really stuck in my writing, and a woman I teach with gave a lecture on setting in fairy tales and folktales. She said, “If you’re stuck, go read these stories.” I got about a fourth of the way through “The Snow Queen” and the friendship story grabbed me, and I saw a book lay itself out before me.

One of the things that impressed me with Breadcrumbs is how many real life themes you were able to successful weave into this fantastical story. Hazel and Jack are "real" children in that other children will be able to relate to their experiences. What was the most challenging aspect in blending the two (the contemporary story so to speak with the magical)? 

It might sound odd, but it wasn’t something I thought too much about until I was done with the first draft. I realized then that the contemporary section was much longer than they traditionally are in fantasies like this. And in revision it became even longer still. But it had to be; the story required it. And so I had to remind myself that there really aren’t any rules, that what matters is that the story works, and if that meant the book was half contemporary Minneapolis and half weird-fairy-tale-woods world, then that’s what it would be. I teach writing, and sometimes in that environment we all get hung up on rules. I tell my students, “You can do anything you want, as long as it works.” I just had to remind myself that my job was not to follow some self-imposed structure, but to do what the story needed and, in Project Runway terms, to make it work. My real problem was that in the first draft Jack mattered only as he related to Hazel—as the best friend who changes overnight and then disappears and needs to be rescued. But he needed his own story too—there had to be a reason that he needed Hazel, and that he went off with the Snow Queen in the first place. Otherwise the rest of the story simply wouldn’t make sense. Once I figured this out, both worlds of the book had much more depth and the book worked out much better as a whole.

Last question...do you have any favorite snacks or writing routines you must follow when working on a book? 

I consume an enormous amount of popcorn when I’m working—last year I moved on from the microwave cancer bags to the hot air popper. I also eat a lot of red grapes, and my veins run with coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper.

Thanks so much Anne for stopping by and answering some questions.  

You can learn more about Anne Ursu and her books on her website: http://www.anneursu.com/
and here http://www.anneursu.com/handbill/

You can follow her on twitter: @anneursu
And she is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anneursuauthor

Don't forget to join Anne Ursu and Laurel Snyder for a Twitter Chat on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 8 p.m. EST.  Use the hashtag #Magicisreal to join in.  For more information on the chat, click here.

Now for the Giveaway:
Anne has agreed to Skype with a class, book club, group of homeschoolers, etc. for 30-40 minutes about Breadcrumbs.  The Skype visit will include a short reading, and Question & Answer.

Giveaway Rules:

1. Please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.), you must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.
2.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 1, 2011 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on October 7, 2011.
3.  You do not need to be a follower of this blog to enter, but if you like what you see, feel free to subscribe.
4.  You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.
5.  Comments are not required but always welcome.
6.  If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.